My fiancé Kyle and I are very attached to our jobs. We need to be constantly connected because our positions require us to be on call at all times in case of emergencies or surprise developments. That being said, we can usually be seen tethered to our Blackberry’s and laptops, which makes enjoying a weekend away quite a struggle. The fiancé was looking forward to the August long weekend, and suggested we head out of town and enjoy some much needed R & R.

Janine from marketing suggested that the Niagara-On-The-Lake region would be a relaxing, slow paced experience. We weren’t too keen on going somewhere loud and full of drunken teens, so a village getaway seemed more appealing. We were intrigued by the quiet and laid back atmosphere of a village with quaint shops and restaurants. Kyle had his sights set on wine tasting, but I made sure that we could fit in a performance of a play from the world famous Shaw Festival. Started in the 60’s, the Shaw Fest is a celebration of the works of Bernard Shaw as well as the works of his contemporaries and new plays about the period of 1856 – 1950 – Shaw’s lifetime – all performed in their three very different theatres.

The Thursday night before we were planning on leaving, I mentioned to Kyle that I had an interesting idea to enjoy the weekend at its full potential. I suggested that we completely unplug, bring no form of communication and detach ourselves from anything resembling our jobs. He paused for a moment, mulling over the one request I had placed on him, realizing this was going to be a bit of a struggle. “Let’s make a compromise,” he said slowly, trying to figure out what he could possibly bring to the table in regards to a counter offer. “We’ll bring one phone, just incase the world ends and we need to reach our loved ones”. I looked at him trying not to laugh and told him that I am his only loved one, and that I’d be right next to him if in the off chance THE WORLD DID COME TO AN END.

To ease Kyle’s paranoid mind we packed one phone, but nothing fancy: some Nokia brick from the late 90’s that neither of us needed anymore, you couldn’t even send a text message and the screen was a gross cabbage green hue. Neither of us could get the whole Friday off, so we left Toronto at around 1pm towards the Niagara region. For the first few hours it was a little tough, the urge to check my email and check in with the office was like withdrawal from some terrible addiction. Once in a while Kyle would pick up the brick phone expecting a text message or email to come through, you could see his heart sink when he realized the phone we brought was better off being used as a door stopper. With our emotions on the fritz, I decided to lay down some ground rules to ease the lingering pain of being detached from the rest of the world. This guide is what would become the saviour of trips to come, and something that I wish we had thought about before leaving for the weekend.

Five ways to unplug and enjoy, detach yourself from digital civilization:

1. Make sure everything is dealt with before leaving.

   Ensure that any prep work or deadlines are met before leaving the office on Friday, that way you don’t have to worry about checking in all the time. If someone needs to reach you, leave them a number but stress that they only call in the event of an emergency. Using your own willpower, don’t try to call in and check either.

2. Plan time off when work volume is not at peak.

   It’s a given that the summer months will be harder because people are taking time off. Setting holiday’s around long weekends or major calendar events is key because expectations are lower and there isn’t a rush to get work done. Kyle and I chose the Civic holiday weekend.

3. Make a deal with a co-worker.

   >Negotiate a system where someone you know at the office can cover for you while you’re gone. Return the favour when he/she goes on vacation.

4. If you do need your Blackberry/Laptop.

   Set up a system where you only check specific emails, don’t reply to them either. You can be kept abreast on the on goings of the office without actually being involved. This one takes a little bit of willpower. Always remember to set an automatic out of office reply so that people realize you are away. Make sure to tell them when you’ll be back!

5. Expect Problems.

   When being detached from your office, expect problems to happen. Before leaving, make sure all measures have been taken so that things can run smoothly during your absence. Figure out what could be potential problems while you’re away, and in some cases plan a month in advance just to be on the safe side.

We were at the Royal George Theatre catching a performance of “The President” when it dawned on me that because we had been so focused on following our rules, we totally missed the real purpose of the trip. With one night and a full day remaining, we decided to go cold turkey and turn off the piece of garbage we had packed with us. Whatever happened back at the office could be dealt with on Monday, so with that in my mind we turned off completely and enjoyed the performance, finally being able to relax our souls and minds. Bernard Shaw said it best himself, “A day’s work is a day’s work, neither more nor less, and the man who does it needs a day’s sustenance, a night’s repose and due leisure, whether he be painter or ploughman.”